WARsaw Treblinka the reality of WWII

Not all stories are happy ones and today’s journey took the Kiwi Wanderers on a very sobering path.

While Warsaw is a vibrant and beautiful city to visit, under the sometimes sombre faces of the Poles lies some memories that can never be forgotten.

Today we visited Treblinka – the labour camp and the extermination camp site of the polish Jewish people and many other adjoining countries.

We knew it would not be a happy day, but we did not imagine the reality.

We booked a Bolt (Uber) driver to transport us both ways, an hour and a half from Warsaw.

We arrived in a deserted forest area, obviously not a prime tourist attraction. These camps were set up by the Nazis in 1942, disguised as a relocation destination for Jewish people, mainly from the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw…it operated for only 11 months and saw the murders of 900,000 Jews in that time. They were allowed to take 15 kgs of luggage with them, and were transported by overcrowded cattle train carriages to what they quickly realised was to be their demise.

Upon arrival at Treblinka II (the extermination camp) by railway, (those that survived the journey) the people were stripped of all their possessions, clothing and the womens hair shaved and marched into gas chambers…. the disabled and ill were herded to a “hospital” and shot in the back of their heads.

Some of the more able were moved to the labour camp, Treblinka I, two kms further into the forest, to work as slaves to the German and Ukrainian guards and were used to make the black road (from Treblinka I to Treblinka II) out of broken grave headstones, work in the quarry, garden and work on the arrival platform – sorting clothes and possessions to send back to Germany – all the while, knowing their fellow countryman’s fate was instant death on arrival.

Very few who tried to escape survived, due to the remoteness and the cruelty of the guards…shoot as soon as they moved.

Upon disbanding the camp, all evidence (burial pits and buildings) were burnt to the ground to alleviate any of the atrocities committed here…this memorial has been built on the site of the extermination campsite in memory of some who lost their lives.

This was our first encounter of the Treblinka II (extermination camp) and we were already feeling the sadness of the area.

This is a reconstruction of a fire pit, where any remains were burnt.

And here, where the train stopped and where the people were stripped of their possessions and dignity, stands a memorial to all the countries who suffered at the hands of the Germans of Treblinka.

The next steps of our journey took us 2 kms down the handmade black road to Treblinka I, the labour camp, further into the forest…

A short rest for Russ along the tree lined road, where many took their final steps. The silence was overwhelming, probably the most eerie feeling was the lack of any birds or any signs of wildlife in such a densely wooded area…

This road opened out onto the quarry, where the labour camp people worked until they were too broken and then sent to the execution site.

The path then opened up to the labour camp remains…

A very cleared and precisely carved wooded boundary in the middle of the forest.

The stoned floors of the housing and storehouses still remain.

The area had been totally enclosed with barb wire fences and disguised with plants growing on on the outside with guard towers at all points.

We again walked the 2km “black road” with a much deeper understanding of the pain of WWII murder camps…

At least this area has been discovered and uncovered so that everyone, who visits, can keep the memories alive of those who died here.

Our taxi driver was waiting on our return to the still deserted car park and we had a very quiet journey back into the city.

A day like today makes us appreciate our freedom to roam and the opportunities available to us, without persecution!